Lonely Bridge
by NoteEmmy
Summary: When Otogi gets stuck in America during a snowstorm, Pegasus shows up to offer a hand. COMPLETE


The northern coast of the United States was currently in the middle of a heavy snowstorm. As a precaution all flights had been grounded for the next few days. It left a lot of unhappy travelers in the airport building. They kept piling up, higher and higher, with no place to go and nowhere to stay. The seats and benches, even the floor, were all taken up by sleeping or antsy passengers, waiting for the next set of news to come in so they could know when they could leave.

Otogi couldn't stand the heavy, stale air that had come with so many people being packed in one place. He had only come to America on a business trip, and had even been warned of the snowstorm, but he thought he could end the negotiations before it hit. How sorely wrong he'd been. Now he was paying the price. He had no way to get home, not that finding a hotel for him would be hard. He had a lot of cash at his disposal. Going to each hotel, however, revealed just as much of a mess. He'd have to put in a call and use his influence over the phone if he even hoped to make it to the front desk.

Yet he couldn't bring himself to do it just then. It was too much work, and all the traveling, the arguments, the setting up, and now this; he was just terribly tired. Tired with no place to rest his head.

The stray thought of calling on some of his better acquaintances to help him out had come and gone several times now. He just didn't feel like seeming desperate. This would blow over eventually. He just needed to give it a couple more hours, then he'd try again, find a place, and go to sleep for a while.

Until then he was stuck in America with no place to be in the middle of one of the coldest snows he thought he'd ever felt in his life. Wandering around the city he'd come into only to leave it seemed like a poor decision. He was going to do it anyway, of course. He couldn't sit around in the crush of people. It made him anxious. Anxious to do something, anything at all, but not having anything to do.

The city was at least empty, everyone else clamoring to stay inside and find shelter. The snow wasn't so terrible that it kept him from walking, and even the wind seemed to die down as he trekked through the banks. His clothes got wet rather quickly and he found himself clutching his coat, watching his breath cling to the air before escaping like he wished he could.

Eventually he found himself overlooking a highway, having no idea how he got out this far. He'd been attracted to the bridge he was currently standing on since he'd first drove over it when coming to the airport. It was big and beautiful with refined metalwork. A lot of time and effort and planning had gone into this structure, and it was something he could quietly appreciate. Once he reached the middle he stopped walking, both hands reaching for the guard rail.

He leaned against it, pushing the snow that had built up over the top back to the highway below. He then absently began clearing the rest of the rail that was closest to him; pushing the snow carefully over the edge and watching it splat to the already covered highway, assimilating with the rest of the snow already there.

A cold breeze caught him straight in the face and it caused him to recoil before pulling his scarf closer. He lost track of time as he stared out into the endless bleak white.

"You're going to catch your death out here, you know." A smooth voice warmed his ears more figuratively than he would have liked before two steady hands moved to pull his jacket up and zip it better.

Green eyes widened as he caught sight of Pegasus Crawford, just idly standing on this bridge with him, fixing his clothing no less. "What are you doing out here?" He didn't take Pegasus for the winter loving type- seeing as he had a private beach island that he loved to stay at from time to time.

Pegasus waved a hand away with that smile of his. "I had come here for some famous food someone promised me as a debt to be repaid." He sad this so easily, as if food could always be used I exchange for… whatever it was Pegasus was owed. It at least got Otogi to smile underneath his scarf. "And then I come all the way out here and the restaurant is closed. _Oh nooo._" He said dramatically with another flaring wave of his hand in the air, whipping the snowflakes about.

Otogi's smile grew wider as he untucked his face from his clothing so that he could be heard better. "That's really all?" He somehow couldn't bring himself to believe it. Pegasus could be absentminded sometimes but he wasn't stupid.

A manicured finger came to poke at the boy's nose. "That's. All." The older gentleman said with a light smile. "I think it's a good thing I did though. You look like you might die of cold!" A soft laugh behind his hand before he nudged Otogi's shoulder. "My car isn't too far away. Do you think you could manage a walk back before you turn into an icicle?"

At that, Otogi looked around for where Pegasus could have possibly come from. When he saw the sight of that sleek black limousine he was smacked with the realization that Pegasus had walked all the way out here to the middle of the bridge. "Why did you come all the way out here?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Well why not? You did, after all." The only explanation he seemed to be willing to offer.

Otogi shifted. "And… where would we be going?"

Pegasus grinned, lifting his head to the sky. "Anywhere!" His arms went wide open for a moment before he dropped them to his sides. "But I think somewhere warm would suit you best, Otogi-boy." A careful hum before he just looked at him, waiting for a yes or no.

The moment in time that they both waited seemed to go on forever. Otogi was suddenly fascinated by Pegasus' wonderful timing and his dramatic flare … he always had been. But why now? Why had Pegasus shown up out of the blue just to take him on? Wasn't that… the way it always had been between them?

A dopey sort of smile graced Otogi's face. "Somewhere warm." He agreed before he managed to pull the expression into a cocky smirk.

"You seemed to have something on your mind just now." Pegasus pointed out quietly as they turned and began walking slowly back towards the car.

Now, _now,_ Otogi finally felt a little warmth. It was just a shame that it was filling his cheeks. What explanation could he really give? He pulled his scarf carefully over the top of his nose again. "You're just always there." He said, muffled.

"What was thaaaat?" Pegasus chided cheerfully, looking out of the corner of his eye at the other.

Otogi wasn't certain that Pegasus hadn't actually heard him. In fact, he was sure the other had. But he was compelled now by Pegasus' kindness. He at least owed him an answer. "You seem to come out of nowhere, I said." He amended strongly, smirking up at the man. "But that suits me just fine."

Pegasus reached out then, looping his arm around Otogi's back and putting a hand on his shoulder. "That's the spirit, Otogi-boy!"

The rest of the walk to the car was spent in amicable silence, Otogi glad he'd pulled his scarf back up, as he was grinning like a lunatic the entire time.


End file.
